Musical instrument



H. R. HELLER. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED ocr. is. 1916.

1 352, 95 8 Patented Sept 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. R. HELLER. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18. 1916.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY IR. HELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTO PNEUMATIC ACTION 00., A CORPORATION 01? NEW YORK.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14:, 1920.

Application filed October 18, 1916. Serial No. 126,296.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. HnLLnR, citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a. specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic controlling devices adapted for use in connection with the exhausting chambers of a pneumatically operated piano or similar mechanism.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated in Figure 1 an application of my invention in front elevation as applied to the pumping mechanism of a player piano. Fig. 2 is 'a cross sectional view looking from left to right on the line 22 of iliig. 1.

3 indicates the usual wind chest, 4 the bellows and 5 the reservoir of a player piano or pneumatic of the usual form, upon the top of which are mounted suitable blocks such as 78, which are cut away to provide the passages 91O which in turn communicate through the passage 11, which passage is provided with a screw such as 12, or other suitable member for increasing or decreasing the capacity or area of said passage 11. 12 indicates the base of the pneumatic 13, and 14. the movable portion thereof, provided with a lever 15, adjustably retained by any suitable resilient means such as the spring 16 secured to the pneumatic 5. 17 indicates a suitable valve cap adapted to close the opening to the passage 9 when the pneumatic 13 is deflated.

The passage or chamber 9 being connected with the wind chest 3 as shown in Fig. 1, it will be readily understood, that a sudden impulse caused by peddling or otherwise, which tends to create excessive exhaust upon the wind chest 3, will quickly deflate the pneumatic 13 in circuit therewith, thereby causing the cap 17 to close the passage 9, after which the continued suction can only draw through the passage 9 according to the capacity of the passage 11. After the excessive effort has passed, however, the pneumatic 13 again resuming its original position, allows freer passage of air between the passages 910 by virtue of which the normal position is restored, this restoration of normal conditions of course being assisted by the resilient means disclosed which are susceptible of such adjustment as may then be necessary as for instance by the thumb screw 18.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that a violent thrust of the foot upon the pedal of the piano is thus choked in such a manner as to prevent undue jerky effect in the playing.

Of course it will be understood that various modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

I claim In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, a wind-chest, a reservoir pneumatic and connection therebetween, means for applying pressure directly to the pneumatic and for closing the connection from said chest to said pneumatic, said means including a smaller pneumatic operatively secured upon the wall of said first-mentioned pneumatic, said smaller pneumatic having a resiliently retained movable wall, said con nection including several passages opening into said smaller pneiunatic, a communicating passage between said several passages, and means for varying the capacity of said communicating passage.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY R. HELLER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD J. MGCANN, CHRIS. J. MoCANN. 

